First Impressions
by Chocolate X My Mouth
Summary: (Modern!AU) In the little town of Tatooine, Arizona, reformed former gang member Ben Solo is very anxious about meeting his girlfriend Rey's best friends Finn and Poe. However, Rey wants to assure him that there is nothing to worry about - its Finn and Poe! What could possibly go wrong? (College Reylo fluff and JediStormPilot friendship to the max.)


**Yeahhhhhh don't listen to some of the critics. Heck, don't listen to the masses. Go watch The Rise of Skywalker for yourself to make the judgment on whether or not you liked it. Because that's what I did.**

**...And boy, I actually really liked it! I have a few complaints but most aren't big; overall the movie was just fun and cool. Don't let the fandom ruin this for you. Go into it and judge how you feel by ONLY YOUR STANDARDS. :)**

**Also Reylo. I have been converted to the Reylo side (tho Finnrey will always be special to me, my first new trilogy ship :)), and I come bearing fluff. I hope that's okay.**

**(also you're gonna notice I gave Finn Lando's last name because I just really wanted Finn to have a family name and Lando seems like he could be a good adoptive grandpa to Finn. #FinnDeservesBetter. Okie that's all enjoy your reading :D)**

**-0-0-0-**

"Mmm..." Rey muttered, lowering the cup of hot chocolate from her lips. "Ben, this is _amazing!_"

"You're just saying that because I put in extra marshmallows," Ben said, smiling down at his girlfriend, who was currently cuddled up next to him on her dorm room couch.

"Well maybe that just made it all the more better," she smiled.

Her orange and white tabby cat, BB, purred from his spot on the arm rest of the couch, as if to say he agreed with her, despite not getting a sip. However, even though their current position seemed impenetrable to any form of discomfort, there was some of that currently on Ben's face.

"Hey, you look nervous," said Rey, putting the cup down on the coffee table and turning Ben's face towards her. "Something wrong?"

"No..." Ben answered, not making eye contact. However, all it took was an understanding look from Rey, and he caved immediately. "...Rey, I'm really worried your friends won't like me."

"Oh, nonsense!" she said. "Finn and Poe will love you. They might be apprehensive at first, but they'll eventually come around to you - they're like brothers to me, so if they're mean to you at all, let me know. But, I mean, who wouldn't love a big, cuddly teddy bear such as yourself?"

"I wasn't always that, though," he whispered. "You... you know this. It was you who set me on the road to recovery, after all..."

"And now, aka - all that matters, you are getting the proper treatment and receiving proper care," Rey assured him. "Your therapist says you are doing marvelous, and I say that you've never been better. You're happier, you're more full of life, and you've got a girlfriend and family who love you."

Ben seemed to smile at this.

"Thank you, Rey," he said, noticeably less discomforted. "That... makes me feel better."

"I'm glad," she smiled, pecking him on the cheek where his wild teenager-years scar still lay. She was the only one allowed to touch or ask about that scar.

"Hey, when are Poe and Finn coming over again?"

A knock at the door caused three things to happen at once - BB perked up from his perch, Rey began to smile like a lunatic, and Ben noticeably found his foot very far back in his mouth.

Rey practically launched herself towards the door, while Ben hurled himself towards the kitchen - he was cooking shrimp and tater tots for all four of them (Rey found herself in a seafood craze as of late; shrimp was currently her favorite meal for some reason).

"Guys!" Rey smiled warmly, hugging a very happy Finn as she welcomed the two closest people to brothers she had ever had into her dorm.

"Hey Rey!" Finn said happily, hugging her back.

"C'mon, am I always gonna be ignored in these kinda things?" Poe asked sarcastically, smiling to show he was only joking.

"Sorry dude, Finn just always has to be first," Rey laughed, hugging Poe as Finn rolled his eyes. "Oh, Ben's in the kitchen if you'd like to go see him! He might be distracted with the food though."

What Finn and Poe had rehearsed suddenly seemed to be forgotten at the mention of Ben cooking for them. They still were gonna make sure that he knew never to hurt Rey or they'd show him why Finn's high school nickname was 'Trooper' (which was a made up story to scare him).

"Hello there," Ben said when the two entered, smiling as well as his nervous self could. He turned away from the hot tray that he had just placed on the oven, pulled off his oven mitts, and reached out his hand to shake Poe and Finn's hands. "Ben Solo."

"Poe Dameron," Poe said, shaking Ben's hand. "Pleasure."

"You too," Ben nodded, smiling. "Finn Calrissian," Finn said, shaking his hand after Poe and pulling him in for a hug. "Hurt her and they'll never find your body," he whispered, before stepping away and smiling. "Great to meet you, dude."

Ben nodded, chuckling nervously. "Never would dream of it."

"Be nice guys!" Rey called from over by the table.

"Damn, that looks good," Poe said, looking over Ben's shoulder. "You make that by yourself - or, you made it _Solo_?"

Ben laughed - he had a soft spot for puns, especially since Rey made so many of them. "Yes, yes I did. And thank you for the pun, that was a good one."

"Need any help?" Finn asked.

"No thank you," Ben answered quietly, "but could you go see if Rey needs any help setting the table, please?"

The two nodded, and walked over to the table. Ben was able to breath a sigh of relief - _okay, that had gone well enough... Poe and Finn didn't seem too apprehensive of him, right? Shovel talk like that was completely normal for guy friends to their female friend's boyfriend... right?_

_Oh God what if they meant it? What if he accidentally hurt Rey and they killed him in the deserts of Arizona? What if-_

"Ben?" Rey asked from the table. "We're ready whenever you are!"

"O-Okay!" he called back. He reached into the cupboard, pulled out some plates, and scattered the shrimp and tots evenly across all four. Taking two to the table, he set them down, then raced back and got the other two. He took his seat beside of Poe and Rey, and opposite of Finn. The little square table wasn't much, but it was plenty enough for all of them.

"Mmm..." Finn said, taking a bite. "Look, I know you can't exactly mess up oven baking stuff... but this is very good, Ben."

"Yeah, he's not wrong," Poe nodded, smirking at Ben. "You've done well."

"T-Thank you," Ben smiled nervously. Rey patted his hand lovingly, and gave him an affectionate smile. He immediately he felt calmer. Minutes passed, with the gang just eating together, a silence falling around the table. Thankfully, it was a comfortable silence, and everyone seemed very content with the food.

"...Mmm, tater tots," Rey giggled from out of nowhere.

It was at that moment that Rey, Finn, and Poe whisper-screamed, and then all burst out laughing. Ben was laughing too, but mostly out of confusion.

"Is-Is that a Vine reference?" asked Ben, tilting his head in confusion.

"See?! See! I told you!" Rey laughed, leaning over to kiss Ben's cheek with pride. Finn and Poe, meanwhile, shared a subtle nod and smirk. Ben really hoped that meant something good.

"I see you are a man of culture as well," Finn said, raising his glass of water and taking a sip.

"So, Solo," said Poe, "do you have any hobbies?"

Ben seemed to suddenly forget literally every single thing he had ever been interested in. "U-Uh, w-well... I skate. I a-also read, play the bass... a-and Rey's t-teaching me how to paint stuff..."

"I _told you, _he's not emo," Rey rolled her eyes.

Poe chuckled. "Well, you seem pretty well rounded, Solo."

"T-Thank you," Ben stuttered, smiling as calmly as he could.

"Well, I gotta say, Ben," said Finn a few moments later, putting his napkin on his plate (and also being the last to finish), "this was honestly the best home-cooked shrimp I've had in years. Good job, my dude!"

"Thank you," he smiled, still feeling nervous as hell - thankfully, no one had asked about his past.

Though, to be honest, he had a feeling that they already knew... "Kylo Ren" may have died a long time ago, along with his mini gang, but that didn't mean people would just forget about his darker days as a teenager. He had cost the city thousands upon thousands of dollars in repairs; the only reason he didn't get jailed for twenty five was because of his parents and uncle.

But... they seemed accepting of him. For now, at least.

"You all have been very nice to Ben, and for that, I thank you," Rey smiled at her friends, who shrugged in amusement. "Now, I'll take these plates-"

"Oh no no no, babe, I've got it," Ben said, standing up.

"You sure?" Rey asked.

"Positive, but thank you," he smiled, hugging her and giving her temple a smooch before taking everyone's empty plates. BB, who had been practically begging for some of the human food the whole time (but had been rudely ignored by all of the table-dwellers), followed Ben to the kitchen - Ben always gave him treats when he was over, so hopefully now would be no different.

Rey smiled at her friends when she thought Ben was out of earshot. "You all have been so nice," she whispered. "I wasn't expecting that!"

"Well, we'll still kill him if he hurts you," Finn assured her.

"Fully agree," Poe nodded. "But... damn, I didn't expect to actually like Ky-"

"Nope! We don't say that name in this apartment," Rey said, holding up her finger to Poe. "It brings back memories he... he doesn't like."

"Ahh," Poe nodded. "He seemed very keen on making a good impression, which is good."

"He's just a big teddy bear, isn't he?" Rey asked, suddenly entering that state where she got all dreamy - Finn and Poe shared a simultaneous "uh oh" look with one another at this. "Ahh... he's so sweet and kind with me... and sometimes when we kiss I swear its like I'm flying on-"

"Rey, Rey?" asked Finn, tapping her shoulder.

"-And then we snuggle up on the couch watching a cliche rom-com I forced him to watch that he ends up liking secretly, and its-aah! Its so cute when he won't admit it-"

"Ah shoot, we lost her," muttered Poe. He had to stifle a laugh, however.

"-y'know, just before we came here, he made me hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, and I honestly can't even-he's so sweet!"

Finn chuckled, finally smacking Rey lightly on the back and snapping her out of her trance. "Y'know, despite you two only being together for seven months, I can tell this is a good start to your all's relationship."

"He treats you well, evidently," Poe added on with a smile.

Ben then came out of the kitchen with a dish towel on his shoulders, and Rey had to bite her lip because that looked so cute on him-why did everything look cute on him? "A-Anything else I can do for you all?"

"Yeah," Finn said, standing up. Rey glared at him, but he just walked towards Ben with no emotion. She was so worried... was she gonna have to kill them? Oh god, Poe got up too - she was gonna have to stop something, wasn't she?

"Y-Y-Ye-Yes?" he asked nervously.

Finn and Poe looked at one another...

Then smiled.

"Treat her well," Finn smiled, extending his hand.

Ben breathed a sigh of relief, and shook Finn's hand - but Finn pulled him right into a hug. "Thanks for dinner, man. Honestly, it was great - you've already got that going for ya in my books." Ben adjusted to the hug as calmly as he could - inwardly he was so happy Finn liked him, he could have shouted! But he wasn't ready for that yet.

And then, once they separated, Poe walked up - he repeated Finn's actions. "Thanks for the great dinner, Ben. You did great."

"Thank you," Ben smiled happily.

"Now, though Finn's threat still stands," he told him, patting his shoulder, "you have definitely earned respect from both of us. I look forward to seeing you again."

"As do I," Finn added.

And with that, Finn and Poe went over to Rey to tell her goodbye and to hug her too, and with that, the two best friends were out the door. Rey skipped over to Ben happily, and hugged him tightly.

"I told ya there was nothing to worry about," she smiled, nuzzling her head into his shoulder.

Ben couldn't help but smile and laugh gently.

"Yeah... there really wasn't..."

(Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Finn and Poe were bragging on Ben's cooking skills while simultaneously coming up with quick ways to dispose of a body in dire circumstances.)

**-0-0-0-**

**I hope you guys enjoyed my first Reylo fanfiction! I had so much fun writing it :D **

**Would you like me to write more in this AU? Feel free to let me know! I've got a few ideas for some stuff I could possibly do; maybe incorporate Rose and Zorii somehow?**

**If you guys could be so kind as to leave a review, it would make my day. Seriously, it would! I haven't gotten much feedback on my stories lately and I would really like some, if you don't mind. Also I wanna meet some more Reylo frens. :) Anyway, if you left a review, I'd be over the moon! Okay I'll shut up lol**

**Thank you guys so much for reading! Until next time! Love you all. :D**

**-Choco**


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